Mazhar Kara

Physico‐mechanical seed properties of the common Turkish bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) cultivars ‘Hinis’ and ‘Ispir’

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the geometrical, gravimetrical, frictional, aerodynamic, colour, and mechanical properties of two common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) cultivars ‘Hinis’ and Tspir’, which dominate bean production in Erzurum, Turkey. The average length, width, thickness, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, and projected area were found to be: 11.76 and 12.29 mm, 8.85 and 9.10 mm, 7.66 and 7.99 mm, 78.90 and 78.45%, and 92.02 and 99.37 mm2 for ‘Hinis’ and ‘Ispir’, respectively. The average 1000 seed weight, bulk density, and porosity were determined as: 531.3 and 598.9 g, 835.8 and 872.7 kg m−3, and 34.0% and 33.1% for ‘Hinis’ and ‘Ispir’, respectively. The average angle of repose and terminal velocity were 24.52° and 19.46°, and 11.42 and 11.80 m s−1 in ‘Hinis’ and ‘Ispir’ respectively. The highest coefficient of dynamic friction was obtained with an aluminium surface in both cultivars as 0.227 for ‘Hinis’ and 0.199 for ‘Ispir’. This was followed by fibreglass, steel, plywood, and glass surfaces. Both cultivars had white testae. The average value of rupture force, deformation at rupture point, energy absorbed, hardness, and toughness along the X‐direction were found to be: 145.9 and 118.4 N, 0.85 and 0.90 mm, 63.8 and 54.0 N mm, 171.0 and 132.5 N mm−1, and 0.15 and 0.12 mJ cm−3 for ‘Hinis’ and ‘Ispir’, respectively.

Strength and Frictional Properties of Popcorn Kernel as Affected by Moisture Content

Strength properties and dynamic coefficient of friction of popcorn kernels were evaluated as a function of moisture content in the range of 7.78–16.72 g/100 g dry solids. In order to determine strength properties of the kernels that are in terms of deformation at rupture point, rupture force, energy absorbed, hardness, and toughness of the popcorn kernels were quasi-statically loaded between two parallel plates. To determine frictional properties, friction tests were performed on aluminum, steel, and fiberglass surfaces. The values related to the strength properties, in general, decreased as the moisture content increased. On the other hand, the dynamic coefficient of friction of the popcorn kernels increased with increasing moisture content.

Kernel Extraction Quality in Walnut

The kernel extraction quality in walnut is important in terms of consumer satisfaction. In this work, the kernel extraction quality was studied in order to improve the industrial cracking process of walnut. Cracking process was carried out at length, width, and suture cracking positions through a compression device for eight walnut cultivars cultivated in Turkey. The best kernel extraction quality was generally obtained at width cracking position. The kernel extraction quality was also inversely correlated with shell thickness for all cracking positions and the correlation between shell thickness and the kernel extraction quality was significant. In addition, the cracking force, deformation at cracking point, and energy absorbed during cracking were also determined for the walnut cultivars. The highest values of these three mechanical properties were obtained at width cracking position for all the cultivars, followed by length and suture cracking positions.